THREE persons from Pimpri-Chinchwad, who had tested positive for coronavirus disease 14 days ago, have tested negative in their first test. Their second test, as per the protocol, is awaited.

“If their second test is also negative, they will be discharged from the hospital,” Municipal Commissioner Shravan Hardikar told The Indian Express. “Even after being discharged, they will have to stay in home quarantine for 14 days”

The three were part of a group that had returned from Dubai, and were admitted to YCM hospital in Pimpri.

The family members of one of the patients – wife, mother and two children – had also tested positive and were admitted to another city hospital.

Dr Rajendra Wable, who heads the YCM hospital, said, “All the three patients were asymptomatic for 14 days. They did not require any medicine. They were in good health and were spending their time on cellphones or reading books.”

Hardikar said so far, they have home-quarantined 1,260 residents in Pimpri-Chinchwad. “These include those whose tests were not conducted but have some symptoms like cold. They have been told to stay in home quarantine and avoid public contact,” he said.

He said all the coronavirus patients admitted in PCMC hospitals are in stable condition.

Appealing senior citizens to stay at home, Hardikar said, “Senior citizens need extra care. In Italy, it has been seen that coronavirus had affected large number of citizens. Italy has a large percentage of elderly population. The family should ensure that senior citizens do not step out of their homes and are kept at a distance from people who have certain symptoms”.

The PCMC chief said the authorities have constantly emphasised the need to protect senior citizens and children.

No new cases in Pune, 3 test positive across state

No new positive coronavirus cases were reported in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad on Thursday, municipal health authorities said. Across Maharashtra, three persons tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday – one each in Mumbai, Sindhudurg and Nagpur – taking the number of such patients in the state to 125.

In Pune, there are 11 coronavirus patients at Naidu Hospital and one each in three other city hospitals. According to Dr Ramchandra Hankare, civic health chief, PMC, two patients are critical.

So far, five persons who had tested positive have recovered and were discharged in the last two days.

A total of 667 samples have been sent from Naidu Hospital of which 633 were negative. Results of 15 samples are awaited.

Two discharged from Naidu Hospital

Two persons from Pune, who completed their isolation period of 14 days and tested negative for COVID-19, were discharged from Naidu Hospital late on Thursday. A total of seven persons have been discharged in the city so far, said civic health authorities.

One of the two is a 27-year-old man from Nanded city who had returned from the US, while another man hailed from Manjari, said Dr Sanjeev Wavare, assistant medical chief at Pune Municipal Corporation.

“… Throughout the day, there are new persons with suspected symptoms getting admitted, but so far, no sample has tested positive till late on Friday evening,” said Dr Wavare. (ENS)